 | |
| Born | 6 March 1951 Auckland, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Career history | |
| 1972-1974 | Sunderland Stars |
| 1973 | Halifax Dukes |
| 1973 | Cradley United |
| 1974 | Berwick Bandits |
| 1975 | Stoke Potters |
| 1976 | Oxford Cheetahs |
Edward James Wells (born in Auckland, New Zealand) is a former motorcycle speedway rider in National League (speedway) and British League. [1]
Jim Wells is best known as a Sunderland Stars rider, where he rode for three seasons from 1972. [2] The following season in 1973 saw him pick up some replacement riders with British League teams Cradley United and Halifax but he never did more at that level. In 1974, he very briefly held the track record at Sunderland in a time of 63.4, but it was quickly beaten by Birmingham Brummies John Hart in 63.2.
A transfer to Stoke Potters in 1975 saw him have a good season but he was to move on in 1976 with the same promoter, Harry Bastable to the newly reformed Oxford Cheetahs with Stoke teammate, Steve Holden [3] [4] [5]
Before signing for Oxford, Teesside Tigers had attempted to sign him [6] but he would join Oxford, where he had his last season before retiring.
Jim Wells raced Bangers (a lesser form of stockcar racing) for three years. Before returning to New Zealand, he worked on the North Sea gas pipeline in Scotland. Back home, he worked in a car dealership. Married to Patricia, they have two children and three grandchildren.
The Oxford Cheetahs are a British speedway team based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 2001. The club folded in 2007 but returned to racing when participating in the SGB Championship 2022.
Leslie Collins is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He finished runner-up in the 1982 Speedway World Championship as well as winning the Intercontinental Final in 1982, the British Under-21 Championship in 1977 and the British League Riders' Championship in 1980. At retirement he had earned 31 international caps for the England national speedway team.
Gordon William Kennett was an English motorcycle speedway rider. In 1978, he won the World Pairs Championship and finished runner-up to Ole Olsen in the 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship, at Wembley. He earned 53 international caps for the England national speedway team.
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Dennis Clifford Dunton was an English international motorcycle speedway rider and promoter who reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in 1950, achieving 12th place with 5 points. As well as riding, Dunton promoted Peterborough Panthers and co-promoted Oxford Cheetahs, then Oxford Rebels and finally White City Rebels.
Henry Bastable was an international motorcycle speedway rider and promoter from England.
The 1976 National League was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom having been renamed from the previous season's moniker of New National League.
Derek Charles Ernest Harrison is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.
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George Hunter was a motorcycle speedway rider. He earned 28 caps for the Scotland national speedway team, 17 international caps for the England national speedway team and 16 caps for the Great Britain team.
Steve Holden was a former motorcycle speedway rider in National League (speedway)
Harry Maclean is a former motorcycle speedway rider, who represented Scotland five times and rode in the National League.
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Gerald Smitherman is a former motorcycle speedway rider in British League and National League (speedway).
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